Doughnut machine



July 9,1940. P. J. TOEWS DOUGHNU'I MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1936 Fig.1.

. O 9 T y a J 1 r M Z m .r i e ooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooo 7 00000 000000000000000000 oooooooooaooooooonwooooo 7 ooooooooooooooooooooooo Hm eooooooooooocoooooooo m g 4 6 6 IL 2 [0 MM 1 w/ w m July 9, 1940. P. J. ToEws DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Peker J. Tozws Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE! DOUGHNUT MACHINE Peter J. Toews, Minneapolis, Minn. Application December 5, 1936, Serial No. 114,395

20 Claims.

My invention relates to doughnut machines and particularly to the type of doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of the cooking liquid and successively delivered-to a turnover device and a discharge device.

An object of the invention resides in a construction by means of which the rate of travel of the doughnuts through the machine may be positively controlled.

Another object of the invention resides in providing means for controlling the delivery of doughnuts to the turnover device.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing means for controlling the rate of delivery of the doughnuts to the discharge de- I free of the doughnuts;

Another object of the invention resides in using pairs of gates, said gates being spaced apart a distance to receive the doughnuts therebetween and being operated to procure alternate obstruce tion to the travel of the doughnuts along the way. .An object of the invention resides in pivoting the gates for swinging movement in substantially vertical planes.

Another object of the invention resides in utilizing cams for swinging said gates.

An object of the invention resides in providing a single operating member foroperating all of said cams.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a doughnut machine illustrating an embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

(Cl. 53-7) A? Fig.4 is an elevational sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and drawn to a larger scale,

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4' taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view on line t-B of Fig. 1. l I Fig. '7 is a sectional elevational view taken. on

line l'! of Fig-1.

In doughnut machines where the travel of the doughnuts throughout the machine is pro cured by the flow of the cooking liquid and particularly where a turnover device operated by the flow of the cooking liquid is employed, the time required for the doughnuts to travel through the machine becomes irregular and lack of U111- formity in the product results. The present invention overcomes this disadvantage by providing a construction in which the rate of travel both at the turnover device and at the discharge device are positively controlled.

My invention, as shown in Figs. 1 and. 2, cornprises a frame A constructed with legs It and lower cross frame members it connected thereto. The cross members H are disposed abovethe taken floor on which the frame rests and have attached to them. a shelf 22 which serves a purpose to be" presently described in detail. At the upper portion of the frame is provided a pan it to which the legs ID are attached and which forms a part of the frame.

. U The pan I2 is constructed with a trough 93 forming a way along which the cooking liquid travels. The pan I2 is constructed in such a manner that the trough I3 is provided with a number of'parallel runs I4, l5, It and ii, The runs I4 and I5 are connected together by an end run 18. The runs 16 and ll are connected together .by an end run 26 and the runs I l and ii being in turn connected together by an end run way is .formed, along which the cooking liquid is progressed and by means of which the doughnuts are caused to travel through the machine.

Above the run 2| of the trough ill at the 10- cality where the same is joined to run It is By means of this construction a continuous S3. A slide valve 2% controls the flow of dough into the cylinder and a similar valve mechanism 3! controls the discharge of dough from the cyl inder and at the same time causes the dough to be discharged from the nozzle in annular form. This construction not constituting any particuiar feature of this invention, has not been disclosed in detail, though it can readily be comprehended that any type of doughnut cutter now well known in the art may be used for the purpose.

In the run H: of the trough it is disposed a turnover device 32 which consists of a twisted channel by means of which the doughnuts are caused to become inverted when the same leave the end of the channel. A turnover device such as disclosed in the patent to G-unsolley No.

1,516,962 or any other similar type of turnover device may be used.

At the end of the run l? of trough i3 is disposed an endless conveyor 33, which'constitutes a discharge device for the doughnuts cooked in the machine. This conveyor consists of a frame '34 constructed of sheet metal, U-shaped in crosssection, which is supported on a casting 35. The casting 35 is mounted on pan l2 and rotatably supports a shaft 36 to which a sprocket wheel '3'! is attached. A similar sprocket wheel mounted for rotation at the end of the frame supports a chain 38 which carries a number of flights 3d. The conveyor 33 is arranged in inclined relation and dips into the cooking liquid in the run ll of trough l3 so that the doughnuts delivered to it are carried by the conveyor upwardly and out of the machine and deposited upon a spout it, discharging the same from the machine.

For the purpose of impelling the flow of cooking liquid through the way formed in the trough 3 a flow impelling device 52 is utilized. This device consists of a propeller wheel it which is emerged in the cooking liquid and which is attached to a vertically extending shaft Ml. Upon rotation of this shaft the cooking liquid is raised from the run l? and discharged into the run M- which causes travel of the cooking liquid. This construction forming no particular feature of the invention, has not been shown in detail, though it can readily be comprehended that any suitable device may be used for the purpose.

The invention proper comprises four main gates 5i, 52, 53 and 5t and additional gate 55. The two gates 55 and 52 form a set or pair which operate in coordination with one another to control the entry of doughnuts into the turnover device 32. The gates 53 and 5d similarly operate in coordination and control the delivery of doughnuts to the discharge device 53. The gate 55 is manually controlled and serves to block the operation of the gates 53 and 5d, and thereby to procure accumulation of doughnuts along the way. These various gates will now be described in detail.

The gates 5! and 572 being substantially identical in construction, only the gate 52 will be described in detail. This gate is shown in Fig. 4 and consists of a wire loop 56 which extends transversely of the run !5 of trough l3. Issuing from the loop 56 is a vertical portion 51 which is connected to a horizontally extending arm 58. Arm 5% is attached to a block 59 which is mounted for oscillation upon a horizontally extending shaft 6!. The gate 52 may be constructed of wire as illustrated in which case the arm 58 and the portion 5? are formed by using double reaches of wire and the ends of said reaches soldered into suitable holes drilled in the block 59, The shaft 'ii is iournaled in bearings 52, 53 and 64 which are secured to the uppermost portion of the pan l2. The blocks 59 of the two gates 5l and 52 are held in proper spaced position on the shaft 61 by means of spaced sleeves (i5, 65 and 67 which extend up to the two bearings 52 and 53. It will thus be seen that the two gates 5i and 52 may swing about the shaft fil as an axis from'the two positions shown in Fig. 4. Inasmuch as the level of the gates is in its lowermost position that the doughnuts may travel on the surfaceof the cooking liquid free of the same and that when either of the gates is in its uppermost position the said doughnuts'are engaged thereby and the travel. of the doughnuts through the structed. 7

For operating the gates the following construction is employed. A slide bar H is mounted'for sliding movement in grooves 72 formed in the bearings 62, 63 and fi l and held in position within said grooves by means of keepers l3 bolted thereto. This slide bar has a cam 14 secured to it which is constructed with oppositely beveled cam surfaces l5 and i6 and an intermediate parallel portion 89;. and 52 are attached are constructed with depending arms ll.

screwed into the same, of which the screws I8 are adapted to engage the cam M. In Fig. '4 screw it of gate 52 is shown in engagement with cam it having previously passed along the cam surface '56 to the parallel surface 86 of the cam.

This elevates gate 52 so that the same is in a.

position to arrest the travel of the doughnuts to the conveyor 33. the screw it of gate 5! clears the cam M so that this gate is in its lowermost position. When in such position, the said gate is below the position of the doughnuts in the cooking liquidand the The blocks 59 to which the gates-5i These arms have screws l8 and.

machine is ob- It will further be noted that only the gate 55 will be described in detail. This gate consists of a length of wire which is-bent to form a loop 82 and a shank 33 extending upwardly therefrom. Shank 33 is twisted asindicated at 34 about a tube same.

55 and soldered to the 95, 95 and 96 secured to the upper portion of'thel pan it. The gate 55 is similarly constructed and attached to a tube 51. The tube ill engages the end of the tube and said tube engages bear- The end of the shank 83 is bent to provide an arm 85 which terminates in a finger 87 ing 96. A sleeve 93 mounted on the shaft 52'is disposed between the end of the tube 51 and the bearing 95, thereby restraining endwise movement of the parts. Encircling the two tubes 85 and 97 aretwo torsion springs 98 and 99; These springs are anchored at one end to the respective gates and at their other ends to parts fixed relative to the pan l2. These springs are tensioned so that the same tend to force the gates 53 and 54 downwardly into the cooking liquid to the the same. ing manner: Shaft 92 has attached to it a bracket of the same.

position of, the gate 82 shown in Fig. v5. Cooper ati-ng with the cams 98 of .the' two gates 53 and 54 are two rods IOI and I02 which are secured to clamps I03 attached to theslide bar 1|. rods are adapted to engage the portions 90 and 89 of said gates and to slide along the cam portion 88 thereof when moving from one position to the other. As these rods are reciprocated with the slide bar II, the gates 53 and 54 are alternately raised and lowered... i

It will be noted that the cam 14 is of a length such that when in one position the said cam engages both of the screws 18, thereby holding both of the gates in obstructing position. Likewise the two rods IOI and I02 are so positioned that in one position both of the gates'53 and 54 are held in obstructing position. By means of this construction both the gates of each pair are for a certain period of time held in obstructing position.

In order to cause the doughnuts to cook a predetermined length oftime it becomes necessary to maintain the doughnuts in the way formed in trough I3 av predetermined length of time. This is accomplished in the normal operation of the machine by having the entire way up to the gates 5I and 52 filled with doughnuts. In the starting of the machine it hence becomes necessary to block the travel of doughnuts through the turnover device until the prescribed number of doughnuts have accumulated in advance of This is accomplished in the follow- I05 which is provided with a cam I06 extending along the same. This cam has a cam surface I01 which is adapted to engage under the arms 58 of gate 52. When the shaft 92 is slid inwardly as far as thesame will go, cam I05 elevates the gate .52 and holds the same in such position. Subsequent operation of the machine permits the gate 51. to operate in the usual manner, which does not interfere with the blocking of the travel of doughnuts through the turnover device. When a prescribed number of doughnuts have been collected in advance of the turnover device, shaft 92 is drawn outwardly and the cam I 06 disengaged from the arm 58.0f said gate and the gate now functions in thenormal manner to allow doughnuts one at a time to pass through the turnover device at the desired rate of speed.

In order to block the passage of doughnuts to the discharge device the gate 55 previously referred to is employed. This gate is constructed with a loopportion I08 adapted to extend into the cooking liquid at the locality of the doughnuts therein which has an arm I09 extending upwardly therefrom. Arm I09 is attached. to a sleeve III rigidly secured to a shaft H2. Shaft H2 is journaledin the bearings 94 and 95 and is held from endwise movement therein by means of said sleeve and a collar H3. The end of said shaft is provided with a bent finger piece I I4 by means of which the same may be rotated. It will thus become apparent that the gate 55 may be raised and lowered similar to the gates 53 and 54 to bring the same into the position arresting the travel of the doughnuts or to a position clear The bracket I05 supporting cam I06 is also engaged by shaft H2 and is thus held from rotation. This bracket slides freely along the shaft II2 when the shaft 92 is reciprocated.

These structed with an armature shaft I I1. A belt' I I8 passes over a pulley II9 attached to said armature shaft and over another pulley I2I secured to a counterflshaft I22. Counter shaft I22 is 'journaled in two bearings I23 and I24 secured to shelf 22. Counter shaft I22 has mounted on it a worm I25 which meshes with a worm wheel I25 mounted on a second counter shaft I21. This counter shaft is in turn journaled in two bearings I28 and I29 secured to the shelf. 22. On the shaft I21 is a spur gear I3I which meshes with another spur gear I32 secured to a third counter shaft I33. ilarly journaled in bearings I34 and I35- secured to the shelf 22. On the shaft I33is a disk I36 which has eccentrically attached to it a pin I31. Connected to this pin is a connecting rod I38 which extends upwardly from the disk and is connected at its upper end to a crank arm I39, being one of the arms of a bell crank indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral I40. The bell crank I40 includes a shaft I4I to which the arm I30 is attached together with another arm I 42 also secured to said shaft and which extends generally upwardly therefrom. The shaft I4! is journaled in a bearing I43 secured to the leg I and pan I2. Arm I42 has pivotally connected to it a connecting rod I44 which in turn is pivotally connected to the end of the slide bar 1I by means'of a pintle I45. It will thus be seen that as the shaft I33 rotates, slide bar H is reciprocated back and forth operating the various gates controlled thereby.

The shaft I22 has secured to the end of the same a pulley I45. A belt I41 passes over this pulley and over two idler pulleys I48 and I45 and finally over a pulley II. The two idler pulleys I48 and I49 are freely mounted upon the shaft 36 and are disposed adjacent the bearing 35. The pulley I5I is mounted upon the shaft 44. The shaft I22 rotating at a relatively high rate of speed the propeller 43 is also driven at a corresponding rate of speed.

On the end of shaft I33 is a sprocket I52. A chain I53 passes over this sprocket and over another sprocket I54 secured to a counter shaft I55. Counter shaft I55 is journaled in two bearings I56 and I51 which are secured to a bracket I58 which in turn is secured to the pan I2 and the frame A. Shaft I55 has attached to it a clutch I59 which cooperates to drive a sleeve I6I revoluble on said shaft. At the end of shaft I55 is a sprocket wheel I62. A chain I 63 passes over this sprocket wheel and another sprocket Wheel I64 fast on shaft 38. This chain is kept taut by means of an idler sprocket best shown in Fig. 2 and indicated by the reference numeral I 55. By means of these sprockets and chain the conveyor 33 is operatedand rotates continuously as long as the motor H6 is in operation.

The mechanism for operating the cutter 23 and associated parts includes two swinging levers I88 and H51. These levers are mounted for oscillation on a shaft I68 which is secured to bearings I69 and I mounted on the bracket I 58. The lever I61 is pivoted to a piston rod I1I connected to piston 21 and has attached to it a pin I12 which in turn is connected to an eccentric I13 mounted on sleeve I6I. As the sleeve rotates the piston 21 is reciprocated in opposite directions. Lever I66 is connected to the valve 28.

This lever has mounted on it a roller I14 which engages a cam I on sleeve 'IGI. As the said sleeve rotates the valve 28 is operated. Another lever I16 pivoted to a suitable support, not shown,

This counter shaft is simoperates the valve 3!. This lever has a roller III which engages a cam I78 fast on the sleeve lti. When the clutch I59 is engaged, the cutter and all of the mechanism associated with the same are set into operation. As soon as the clutch is disengaged these parts stop the gates and the conveyor continues to operate.

My invention operates as follows: Clutch 559 is first disengaged and the motor l 16 started. This causes the gates el, 52, 53 and 54 to move and the conveyor 33 to operate. At the same time the propeller 43 is set in motion which causes a circulation of the cooking liquid along the Way within the trough'l3. Before depositing doughnuts in the trough the cam N16 is forced inwardly to raise the gate 52 and hold the same in 0bstruoting position. At the same time gate 55 is lowered to its obstructing position by rotating shaft H2. Clutch I59 is then moved into engaging position and the doughnut cutter commences to operate. As the doughnuts are formed, the same are deposited in the way and through the current of the cooking liquid are progressed until the first doughnut reaches the gate 5|. Gate 58 operates continuously and if a doughnut should strike the said gate at the time the gate is in obstructing position the doughnut merely remains there until the gate moves to its clear position, whereupon it is progre'ssed to the gate 52. This gate being held obstructing position, the doughnut remains there. The operator then watches the machine until the run M and the run l8 of the trough are filled with the required number of doughnuts. Cam m5 is then disengaged and the two gates 5i and 52 operate normally. When the gate 5! is elevated the passage of doughnuts from the run l8 to the turner 32 is prevented. As this gate is moved into obstructing position gate 52 is lowered into a position free of the doughnuts and the doughnut trapped between these two gates is permitted to pass through the turnover device 32. The movement of the gates is thereafter reversed and the doughnut held by the gate 5i allowed to advance to a position between the two gates where the same is obstructed by the gate 52. As the gates function, doughnuts are directed one at a time to the turnover device and at a rate of speed consistent with the proper frying of the doughnuts. The doughnuts passing through the turnover device are obstructed by gate 55 and commence accumulating in runs ll, 59 and it. When the required number of doughnuts are retained in said runs gate 55 is moved into its position clearing the doughnuts and the machine then operates normally. As the two gates 53 and 54 are operated, the same cause the delivery of doughnuts one at a time to conveyor 33 in a manner similiar to gates 5| and 52. This conveyor elevates the doughnuts from the trough I3 and deposits the same upon the spout t! from which the doughnuts are discharged to any suitable receptacle placed without the machine.

Although I have described the gates as being normally submerged 'below the positions of the doughnuts in the cooking liquid and being moved from such position upwardly and to obstructing position, yet it can readily be comprehended that the gates may be disposed above and/or out of the cooking liquid and alternately moved downwardly into obstructing position.

The advantages of my invention are manifest. An extremely simple and practical construction is provided whereby the uniform formation of doughnuts by a machine. utilizing liquid propulsion is procured. The device iseX- tremely positive 'in action and simple in construction. donot injure the doughnuts.

Changes. in the specific form of my invention, asherein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a doughnut machine in which thedoughnuts are progressed along a Way through the flow of the cooking liquid,-two gates extending across said Way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, and means for moving said gates to procure alternate obstruction by the gates to the travel of the doughnuts along the Way.

2. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of the cooking liquid, twogates extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said gates be- The gates used with my invention ing movable from positions obstructing the travel.

of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, one of said gates being-in one position while the othergate is in its other position, and means for reversing the positions of said gates.

3. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of the cooking liquid, two gates extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, one of said gates being in one position and the other gate being in the other position, and means for simultaneously reversingv the positions of said gates.

4. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of the cooking liquid, two gates extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, means for guiding said gates for movement in substantially vertical planes from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, and means for moving the gates to procure alternate obstruction by the gates to the travel of the doughnuts along the way. A

5. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of the cooking liquid, two gates extending'across said way and spaced apart a distance to' receive a doughnut therebetween, means for pivoting said gates for swinging movement about substantially horizontal axes and substantially parallel with movable from positions obstructing the'travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, and means for moving said gates to procure alternate obstruction by the gates to the travel of the doughnuts along the way. a

I 7. In a doughnut machine in which the dough a doughnut therebetween, said gates being movable from positions obstructingthe travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, and means formoving the gates to procure obstruction by one gate to the travel of the doughnuts while the other gate is free therefrom, thereafter to procure obstruction by both gates tothe travel of the doughnuts along the way and subsequently thereto to procure obstruction by the second named gate to the travel of the doughnuts, while the first named gate is free therefrom. I

8. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of the cooking liquid, two gates extending across said way anclspaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the to to procure obstruction by the second named gate to the travel of the doughnuts, while the first named gate is free therefrom. 1 I

9. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of the cooking liquid, two gates extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to "1 to receive a doughnut therebetween, said gates being movable from'positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said, way to positions free of the doughnuts, means for moving said gates to procure alternate obstruction by the gates to the travel of the doughnuts along the way, and a third gate in advance of said first named gates movable from a position 011- structing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to a position free of the doughnuts. and manually controlled means for selectively moving said third named gate to either. of its two positions and for holding said gate in either of such positions.

11. In a doughnut machine in which the i. doughnuts are progressed along a way through ing across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said second pair of gates'being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, means for moving the gates of the-first pair to procure control of the travel of the doughnuts along said way, and means for moving said gates of the second pair to procure like control of the travel said gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, a second pair of gates in advance of said turnover device extending across'said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said second pair ofgates being movable from positions obstructing the'travel oi the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts,

means for moving the gates of the first pair to procure control of the travel of the doughnuts along said way, means for moving said gates of the second pair to procurelike control of the travel of the doughnuts, and means for procur ing correspondingly timed movement of both pairs of gates.

13. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a waythrough the flow of cookingliquid and in which a turnover device and a discharge device are utilized and situated at spaced localities along said way, a pair of gates in advance of said discharge device extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a dough nut therebetween, said gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the dougnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, a second pair of gates in advance of said turnover device extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said second pair of gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free I over device'and a discharge device are utilized and situated at spaced localities along said way, a pair of gates in advance of said discharge device extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween. said gates being movable from positions obstructin the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, a second pair of gates in advance of said turnover device extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said second pair of gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, means for moving the gates of the first pair to procure control of the travel of the doughnuts along said way, means for moving said gates of the second pair to procure fike control of the travel of the doughnuts, another gate positioned in advance of one pair of gates, said gate being movable from a position obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said Way to a position free of the doughnuts, and manually operated means for moving said gate from one position to the other.

15. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of cooking liquid and in which a turnover device and a discharge device are utilized and situated at spaced localities along saidway, a pair of gates in advance of said discharge device extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, a second pair of gates in advance of said turnover device extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said second pair of gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, means for moving the gates of the first pair to procure control of the travel of the doughnuts along said way, means for moving said gates of the second pair to procure like control of the travel of the doughnuts, another gate positioned in advance of one pair of gates, said gates being movable from a position obstructing the travel of the doughnuts.

along said way to a position free of the doughnuts, manually operated means for moving .said gate from one position to the other, and means for rendering one of the gates of the other pair inoperative.

16. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of cooking liquid and in which a turnover device and a discharge device are utilized and situated at spaced localities along said way, a pair of. gates in advance of said discharge device extending across said way and spaced apart a distance to receive a doughnut therebetween, said gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, a second pair of gates in advance of said turnover device extending across said way and spaced apart a distance.

to receive a doughnut therebetween, said second pair of gates being movable from positions obstructing the travel of the doughnuts along said way to positions free of the doughnuts, means for moving 'thegates of the first pair to procure control'of the travel of the doughnuts along said f Way, means for moving said gates of the second pair to procure like'control of the travel of the, doughnuts, and means for rendering one of the gates of one of the pair of. gates inoperative.

17. In a food cooking machine having a cir cuitous channel and means for continuously circulating therein a cooking liquid wherein theiood is floated, a pair of gates for stopping the food from moving with the liquid and releasing the same to move with the liquid, the gates being spaced longitudinally of the channel to admit a predetermined number of food portions between them and mounted for'movement alternately of each other to a position in the path of the food in the channel for engaging the same and for reverse movement releasing the same.

18. In a doughnut machine in which the dough nutsare progressed along a way through the flow of the cooking liquid, two gates disposed in the way and spaced apart in the direction of travel I 7 I of the doughnuts, said gates being movable from' positions obstructing the travel of the dough nuts along said. way to positions free of the doughnuts, and means for moving said gatesto- I procure alternate obstruction by the gates to the travel of the doughnuts along the-way. 19. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the'flow of the cooking liquid, a gate disposed in the way,

means for guiding said gate for movement froml a position obstructing the travel of doughnuts along the way to a position clearof the doughnuts, and time controlled mean Ior holding said gate stationary in obstructing position for a predetermined period and for'subsequently moving said gate out of its obstructing position and back 1 into obstructing position.

20. In a doughnut machine in which the doughnuts are progressed along a way through the flow of the cooking liquid, a gate disposed in the way,

means for guiding said gate for movement from a position obstructing the travel of doughnuts along the way to a position clearof the dough nuts, and operating means including a cam for operating said gate, said cam having asurface maintaining said gate stationary in obstructing position forapredetermined period and having 

